If you’re a parent of a young kid, you’ve probably heard the “Frozen” soundtrack so many times that you instinctively know every single lyric to “Fixer Upper” whether you want to or not. (Spoiler: you don’t want to). We’ve all been there. The Elsa costumes are worn in July, and asking “Wanna build a snowman?” is less of a fun question and more of a daily existential crisis when you live in Florida.
But instead of just letting your kids binge-watch the movie for the thousandth time while you zone out, I’ve found a way to channel that frosty obsession into something productive. I’m talking about activities that actually keep them busy, use up some of that endless energy, and might even give you a hot second to drink your coffee while it’s still warm. I’ve tested most of these with my own little ones, so consider this your survival guide.
Why We Love a Good Themed Activity Day
Ever wonder why kids love themed activities so much? It’s not just about the characters. It’s about bringing that magic into the real world. When they get to pretend they’re Elsa making ice or Anna on a quest, it sparks their imagination in a way that a screen just can’t. Plus, honestly, it’s a great way to trick them into learning stuff without them realizing it. Sneaky, right?
So, grab your glue gun and raid the pantry for glitter. Here are 12 “Frozen”-themed activities that will make you the coolest parent on the block. Pun intended.
1. DIY Instant Ice “Elsa’s Magic” Experiment
If you’ve never tried the “instant ice” science trick, you are missing out. It’s one of those things that looks like actual sorcery, but it’s just cool science.
How to Make Water Freeze on Command
You basically need to chill water bottles in the freezer for about two hours and fifteen minutes. The timing is finicky—too long and they freeze solid, too short and nothing happens. I’ve definitely ruined a few bottles figuring this out. :/
Once they’re super-chilled but still liquid, you slowly pour it over an ice cube. It creates this tower of ice that rises up as you pour. My kids literally screamed when they saw it happen. I felt like a genius for about five minutes. I tell them it’s Elsa’s magic, and honestly, watching their faces light up is the best part.
2. Snowy Sensory Bins (That Won’t Melt)
Sensory bins are a lifesaver on days when you’re stuck inside. But real snow is cold and wet and usually melts all over your floor. Hard pass. We need a sensory bin that stays intact.
The Ultimate Fake Snow Recipe
There are a few ways to do this, but my favorite is mixing baking soda and white conditioner. It feels cool to the touch, packs like real snow, and smells amazing. Just mix about three cups of baking soda with half a cup of conditioner until it feels right.
Throw in some plastic gems (like the ones from the dollar store) for “ice jewels,” and grab the little Frozen figurines you have lying around. My kids will play with this for a solid hour. The cleanup is easy, too, as long as you don’t let them throw it at each other. Not that I speak from experience or anything.
3. Troll “Rock” Painting
Remember the friendly trolls from the movie? They’re basically just rocks with googly eyes. This activity is stupidly simple, but it’s a huge hit.
Head outside and find some smooth, flat rocks. Bring them inside, wash them off, and let your kids go to town with paint. We use acrylic paint because it covers better, but washable is fine too.
Turn Your Backyard into Rock Trolls
- Paint them in muted earth tones like the trolls.
- Glue on huge googly eyes.
- Use yarn for hair to really sell the look.
Once they’re dry, hide them in the backyard or at the park. It’s like a reverse scavenger hunt. Plus, you get to say things like, “Fixer Upper!” every time you see one, which never gets old for me, even if the kids roll their eyes.
4. Make Your Own Frozen Snow Slime
Slime is either your best friend or your worst enemy, depending on who’s making it. But “Frozen” slime is just too good to skip. The key here is to make it “sparkly.”
We use a simple glue and contact lens solution recipe (the kind with baking soda in it works best). Add blue glitter and maybe a dash of silver. The trick is to add little snowflake confetti pieces inside. They float around in the slime, and it looks exactly like a snow globe.
FYI: If you want it to be extra fancy, you can make two batches—one blue and one purple—and twist them together. It looks like Elsa and Anna’s magic combined. I keep a batch in a sealed container in the fridge, and it’s my go-to “I need to make a phone call” distraction.
5. “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” Craft
This is the classic question, right? But building a real snowman requires actual snow, which isn’t always available. So, we build an indoor one.
Cotton Ball Snowman Fun
You need:
- White cardstock paper.
- Glue.
- Cotton balls.
- Buttons and orange pipe cleaners.
Draw a snowman outline on the paper, or print one out. Then, have the kids glue cotton balls inside the lines. It’s great for fine motor skills, and it keeps them focused. Once the cotton balls are dry, they glue on the buttons and a little orange nose.
They look adorable on the fridge, and the best part? No frozen fingers. I usually put on the song while they do this, and we all sing along. It’s a core memory in the making, I swear.
6. Edible “Melted Snow” Treats
Sometimes, you just need to eat the craft. I get it. These “melted snow” treats are perfect for that.
Grab a bag of white chocolate chips or vanilla almond bark. Melt them in the microwave in thirty-second intervals so you don’t burn them (trust me, burnt chocolate is the worst). Pour little puddles onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
Before they harden, push a pretzel stick in for a “branch” and sprinkle some blue sugar crystals on top. They look like little puddles of sparkly snow. My kids call them “Olaf puddles.” They’re quick, they’re tasty, and they satisfy that sweet tooth without a ton of effort.
7. Frozen Castle Building with Ice Cubes
This one requires a bit of prep the night before, but the payoff is huge. It’s like building blocks, but magical.
Freeze water in different shaped containers. Use ice cube trays, silicone muffin cups, and even old yogurt containers to get different sizes. Add a drop of blue food coloring to some of them and drop in little plastic jewels or glitter before freezing.
The next day, pop out the ice blocks and let the kids build a castle. You’ll need a cookie sheet with edges to catch the melt, and give them a small spray bottle of water to act as “mortar” to stick the ice cubes together. It’s cold, so have towels ready, but it’s so worth it to see them engineering their own ice palace.
8. “In Summer” Craft for Olaf Fans
We all know Olaf sings a song about how much he loves warm weather and summer. This craft leans into that irony hard, and it cracks my kids up every time.
You take a paper plate and cut out the center so you have a ring. Glue yellow and orange tissue paper squares all over the ring to look like the sun. Then, in the middle of the plate, you tape a picture of Olaf that they colored. It looks like Olaf is trapped in the sun. It’s hilarious to them.
Why This Craft is a Keeper
It’s ridiculously easy for little hands. Tearing the tissue paper is a great sensory activity, and it uses up those scrap papers you’ve been hoarding in your craft closet. Plus, it’s a good reminder that Olaf is blissfully unaware of his own impending doom. 🙂 Gotta love that optimism.
9. Scavenger Hunt for Kristoff’s Ice
Remember how Kristoff and Sven harvest ice? We do our own version, but with less reindeer poop to clean up.
Before the kids wake up, hide a bunch of plastic ice cubes (you can get them at the dollar store) all around the house or yard. Some of them I write letters on with a permanent marker, others I leave plain.
Give the kids a sack or a bucket and tell them they’re Kristoff’s helpers. They have to find all the ice. If you want to make it educational, have them spell out words with the lettered ice cubes once they’re found. It gets them moving, and it’s a game that requires zero batteries.
10. Sparkly “Elsa” Braids and Hair Tinsel
This one is for the kids who love dressing up. You don’t need to be a professional stylist to make them feel like royalty.
Pick up some blue and silver hair tinsel from a craft store or online. It’s super cheap. You can either actually tie the tinsel into their hair (YouTube has a million tutorials that make it look easy, but I won’t lie, it can be fiddly) or you can just braid ribbons into their hair for a temporary look.
We do “Elsa braids” which is basically just a regular French braid with a sparkly ribbon woven through. My daughter walks around flipping her hair for the rest of the day. It makes her feel like a million bucks, and it only cost me two bucks and ten minutes.
11. Printable Frozen Masks for Imaginative Play
Sometimes you need an activity that requires zero cleanup. That’s where printables come in.
There are tons of free templates online for character masks. Print them on cardstock, let the kids color them, and tape a popsicle stick to the bottom for a handle.
From Paper to Play
Boom. Instant dress-up. They can be Elsa, Anna, or even Sven. They’ll run around the house yelling “The sky is awake!” at the top of their lungs. The neighbor kids might think you’re crazy, but who cares? It keeps them entertained, and when they rip the mask, you just print another one. No tears over expensive costumes.
12. Frozen Movie Night In a Box
Okay, this isn’t a craft or a science experiment, but hear me out. It’s an “activity” in the sense that it sets the mood. We take movie night to the next level.
Get a cardboard box and fill it with all the essentials. We’re talking homemade tickets, a blanket, some of those “melted snow” treats we made earlier, and a special “Frozen” cup. We turn off all the lights and drape blue Christmas lights around the TV.
It turns a standard movie watch into an event. By the time the movie is over, they’re so cozy and happy that bedtime is actually… manageable. Usually.
Wrapping Up Our Frosty Fun
Look, parenting is hard. We’re all just trying to survive until bedtime, right? But sometimes, leaning into the obsession—whether it’s with a singing snowman or a queen with magical powers—can make the days a little more fun and a lot less stressful.
You don’t have to do all twelve of these in one weekend unless you’re a glutton for punishment. Pick one or two that sound fun to you. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s just about making memories that don’t involve a screen.
So, which one of these are you going to try first? I’d love to hear if your kids love the instant ice trick as much as mine did. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go hide the glitter before someone decides to “decorate” the cat again. Wish me luck!
